The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-09-02
AGAINST THE OMAHA.

commerce commission by the State Bus
mess Mems Association against the Chi
cago 4 Northwestern railway company
for making lower rates per ton per mile
from Chicago and Lake Michigan ports
to points eaat of GAINESVILLE, than were
given to stations on their line west of
GAINESVILLE. To-day we give entire a
complaint of the same association against
the Chicago, st. Paul, Minneapolis &
Omaha company, for making similar re-
auctions in favor of st. Paul as against
stations on their line in this part of the
State. The complaint is as follows:
The Business Mems Association of the State
of Minnesota,
against
The Chicago, ST. Paul, Minneapolis q ON
aha Railway Company.
To the Honorable the Interstate Com
merce Commission:
Your petitioner respectfully repre-
sents as follows:
First, That it is an association consist
ing of the several Boards of Trade, Bus
mess Mems Associations and Farmers
organizations in the State of Minnesota.
That the object of the association Is to
secure equal and reasonable rates of
transportation of persons and property
in accordance with the State and Ma
tional legislation.
Second. That the Chicago, st. Paul,
Minneapolis 4 Omaha Railway Company
is an organization duly incorporated un-
40 a. nft Tot Of
and owning and operating lines of rail
way and doing bushes as common car
rier in the transportation for hire of
persons and property in the States of
Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Ne
braska.
Third, That said defendant railway
company for Its service as such common
carrier in carrying merchandise of all
kinds and classes from Superior and
other Lake Superior ports to stations on
their line of road afore indicated have
established and published tariff of
freights and charges which, as it of right
ought to do, establishes and makes re-
duced rate per ton per mile for the
greater distance from said lake ports for
all stations on its said line of road be-
tween them and ST. Paul, Minnesota, an
average distance of lS5 miles, while in
the same tariffs for continuous trans
portation o: the same freights, over the
same line and from the same point of
it establishes and makes a
higher through rate per ton per mile for
stations west and south of st. Paul. In
evidence of which representation your
petitioner submits the accompanying
table of extracts from said tariff wherein
the rate per ton per mile is figured from
the rates and distances as above stated,
which are correct,-and showing as
claimed by your petitioner.
(a) That on the first four classes all
stations within the State of Minnesota,
south of Henderson and on the said line
of said defendant railway are charged
an unreasonable rate and rate per ton
per mile.
(b) That on the fifth-class (the most
important class of general merchandise
all stations in the State of Minnesota,
south of st. Paul on said line of road are
charged an unreasonable rate and rate
per ton per mile.
(c) That on classes A and b. all sta
lions south of Henderson on said line
are charged an unreasonable rate and
rate per ton per mile.
(d) That on class +. all stations south
of Mankato on said line are charged an
rate and rate per ton per
mile.
(e) That on classes G. and ID. all sta
tons on said line south of st. Paul are
charged an unreasonable rate and rate
per ton per mile.
% That on the classes OF "Coap and
Grain" staples of vital importance) all
stations on said line of road south of st. |
Paul are charged an unreasonable rate
and rate per ton per mile.
Fourth, That such charges are unjust |
and unreasonable and in violation of
section one of "An act to regulate COM
approved February 4, 1887.
Fifth, That by such charges such COM
mon carrier gives an undue and unreas- |
enable preference and advantage to the |
several certain stations and localities |
along the line of their said route and to |
tons and localities to undue and unreas- |
enable prejudice and disadvantage, in |
Of section 3 of said act.
Wherefore your petitioner prays your |
Honorable Board to investigate the |
charges herein made and if your find
ings of fact shall substantiate such charg- |
es you do thereupon recommend and |
order such common carrier to so amend |
It's tariffs of rates and charges that it |
shall not at any time hereafter charge |
a higher rate per ton per mile for the |
longer than for the shorter haul afore-
said and that such proportionate rates |
be recommended as shall be Just and |
and as shall prevent all I'M
due preferences and advantages and all |
undue and unwarranted prejudice and
The table accompanying the complaint
shows that the rate on frst-class freight |
from Lake Superior points to st. Paul is
IS cents per hundred pounds, or 4.S6
cents per ton per mile, while the rate to
Mankato is 60 cents per hundred, or at |
he rate of 4.42 cents per ton per mile.
In the 9Th class the rate per ton per mile
% st. Panl is LOS cents, while to Manka-
20 it is raised to l.29, These are but
samples of the injustice which the pres
,nt schedule of rates infiict upon the
business men of Southern Minnesota,
The Business Mems Association is
bringing the matter to the attention of
he interstate commission with the hope